Machine fok forming bonnet-frames



UNITE l'g SITES A'INT FICE.

SEWALL H. BONKER, OF 4IVORCESTERy MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR FORMING BONNET-FRAMES.

Speccation of Letters Patent No.

To all Lv/7,0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SEWALL H. Bowman, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester, in the State of l\Iassachusetts, have invented certa-in newand useful Improvements in Machines for Forming Bonnet-F rames; and I dohereby declare that the following is a lfull and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, in which drawings- Figure l is a front viewof the machine. Fig. 2 represents the dies together with the materialfor the frame of a bonnet between them. Fig. 3 shows the frame as itcomes from the dies.

My invention is an improvement upon the so called French dies, used forforming the crown frames of bonnets and in the apparatus for workingthem; by these improvements I am able to form the frame for the wholebonnet of one piece of material and at one operation.

To construct my improvements, make a strong frame A with a level toppiece B, on which, near the two sides fasten the two standards C C andbetween them on the center of t-he table secure the standard D which ismade hollow to receive a rod fastened tothe center of the plate I-I; aset screw V is inserted in the side of this standard to tighten upon therod and hold the plate at any desired height; on this plate is fastenedthe lower die I the upper die being secured by the four bolts 0 0 0 0 tothe cross bar E which has two upright rods F F fastened to its ends bynuts screwing on the ends of the rods. These two rods slide in thestandards C which serve to guide the rods and crossbar in rising andfalling; around the rods are placed strong spiral springs J J capable ofraising the upper die P with its working attachments after they havebeen pressed down.

G Gr are two smaller rods fastened to the crossbar E at the top andafter passing down through the table are secured by their lower ends tothe crossbar K by nuts on the rods above and below the crossbar.

A foot lever L is extended from the front to the back of the table whereit is fastened by a pin R in a slotted stud; the lower crossbar issecured at its middle to this foot lever by a movable connection.

The dies are made in the shape in which it is intended to have thebonnet frame, and

19,231, dated February 2, 1858.

at the neck a large oval opening M is made corresponding to theneck-place in the bonnetframe; this opening is made to receive thesurplus of the material used in forming the frame and by this means allthe rest of the frame is kept smooth and free from creases or wrinkleswhile being formed by the dies; around the lower die is pla-ced a row ofsharp pins or hooks s s on which the edge of the material is hookedbefore undergoing the operation of forming by the upper die.

To operate these improvements, heat the dies by having them hollow andintroducing steam into them or by placing hot blocks of iron on thesides of the upper die under the arms N N; the piece of material beingdampened is taken by the two workmen one in front and one at the back ofthe table, and quickly hooked down at the edge on the pins around thelower die, in such a manner as to bring the surplus of the piece in thehollow M at the neck place, then the one in front takes hold as in Fig.2, and drawing the material tight around the die I brings down the upperdie by means of the foot lever; now as the material used. is quite moistand the upper die nearly hotenough to scorch it there will be of coursea considerable quantity of steam generated which makes it necessary toemploy means for raising and lowering the upper die very quick to allowthe steam to escape, this is done by the workman pressing down the leverwith his foot and almost instantly raising it again, the springsthrowing up the die as soon as it is free, and by lowering and raisinghis foot several times in quick succession the steam is allowed toescape and the material is dried in proper shape, this arrangementenables me to use the dies much hotter that I otherwise could whichresults in doing the work much faster and better. Without the pins S Sor their equivalents the bonnet frames cannot be formed on the dieswithout creases or wrinkles; the saving in time, labor,\and material inusing these improvements over other methods is very great. I would notbe understood as claiming the dies as they have been in common use forseveral years, nor as claiming that I can press bonnets in my machine asthat requires a rubbing pressure that will polish the straw withoutmashing it; it being intended for forming the frame (usually made of asort of loosely Woven cloth heavily sized), on Which the In WitnessWhereof I have hereunto set braid or silk or other material of which themy hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

outside of the bonnet is made, is placed. -f 1 Whaty I claim as myinvention and de- SEWALL H BOVIXER' 5 sire to secure by Letters Patentis- Witnesses:

The row of pins or hooks S S S or their IsAAo DAVIS,

equivalent substantially as herein described. J. T. HULL.

